CERTIFICATION PROCESS HANDBOOK - For CSACs and CSAC-As
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
CERTIFICATION
PROCESS
HANDBOOK
For
CSACs and CSAC-As
VIRGINIA BOARD OF COUNSELING
The DHP mission is to ensure safe and competent patient care by licensing health professionals,
enforcing standards of practice, and providing information to health care practitioners
and the public.
PERIMETER CENTER
9960 MAYLAND DRIVE
SUITE 300
HENRICO, VA 23233-1463
TEL: (804)367– 4610
FAX:(804)977–9741
NOTE: The information contained in this handbook is subject to change at any time.
All current information can be found at http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling
02/2020
1|PageTABLE OF CONTENTS
CSAC CERTIFICATION PROCESS
CSAC BY EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................ 4
Step 1: EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS........................................................................................ 4
Step 2: APPLYING FOR AND GAINING SUPERVISED RESIDENCY APPROVAL .. 6
Supervisor Requirements .................................................................................................. 6
Gaining Board Approval for Supervision (Registering Supervision) .................. 7
Adding or Changing Registration of Supervision .......................................................9
Termination of Supervision .............................................................................................. 9
Step 3: COMPLETE THE SUPERVISED RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS ....................... 9
Residency Requirements ....................................................................................................9
Step 4: SUMBIT APPLICATION FOR LICENSURE BY EXAMINATION……………...10
Step 5: TAKE AND PASS THE EXAMINATION………………………………………………12
Special Examination Accommodations……………………………………………….12
Step 6: RECEIVE CSAC CREDENTIAL………………………………………...…………………12
CSAC ENDORSEMENT PROCESS………………………………………………………………………………12
PREREQUISITES FOR APPLYING FOR CSAC LICENSURE BY ENDORSEMENT ......................................... 13
APPLYING FOR CSAC ENDORSEMENT .............................................................................................................. 13
CSAC-A CERTIFICATION PROCESS
CSAC-A BY EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................. 17
Step 1: EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................... 17
Supervisor Requirements ................................................................................................ 19
Step 2: APPLY FOR AND PASS THE EXAMINATION ........................................................ 19
Step 3: RECEIVE CSAC-A CREDENTIALS ............................................................................... 20
Please read and become familiar with the Regulations Governing the Certification of Substance Abuse
Counselors and Substance Abuse Counseling Assistants prior to submitting your application.
The board primarily communicates through email.
Please ensure that you add the board’s email address (csac@dhp.virginia.gov) to your safe recipient list
to ensure that you receive all email communication from board staff.
2|PagePROCESS TO BECOME A VIRGINIA CERTIFIED SUBSTANCE
ABUSE COUNSELOR
The information contained in this handbook represents the amended regulations
changes effective 2/19/2020.
You must hold the Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) credential in order to represent
yourself as such in the Commonwealth of Virginia. There are two avenues to secure this
credential:
1. Certification by Endorsement
a. This avenue may be applicable to those who hold a current substantially
equivalent certification as a substance abuse counselor in another jurisdiction,
or hold a national certification approved by the Board.
2. Certification by Examination
a. This avenue is for those who have never held a substance abuse counseling
certification.
According to the Code of Virginia, a “certified substance abuse counselor” means a person
certified by the Virginia Board of Counseling to practice in accordance with the provisions of the
Code of Virginia §54.1-3507.1. This section of the Code defines the scope of practice for a
CSAC and states that a CSAC shall be:
Qualified to perform, under appropriate supervision or direction, the substance abuse
treatment functions of:
screening;
intake;
orientation;
the administration of substance abuse assessment instruments;
recovery and relapse prevention planning;
substance abuse treatment;
case management;
substance abuse or dependence crisis intervention;
client education;
referral activities;
record keeping; and,
consultation with other professionals.
A CSAC cannot practice independently, therefore must be clinically supervised or
directed by:
A licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner (LSATP),
A mental health professional licensed by the Department of Health Professions,
or,
If the CSAC is practicing in an exempt setting, he/she shall be supervised by:
3|Pageo another person with substantially equivalent education, training, and
experience; or,
o The CSAC shall be in compliance with the supervision requirements of
a licensed facility.
HOW TO BECOME A CSAC IN VIRGINIA
There are several forms that you will need to complete and submit for consideration that are
available on the Virginia Board of Counseling’s website (www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling). The
information provided in this handbook can be a valuable tool to use throughout the process.
OBTAINING VIRGINA CSAC BY EXAMINATION
ANY PERSON PURSUING A CSAC CERTIFICAITON BY EXAMINATION WILL NEED TO
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
STEP 1. Complete the education and at least 120 of the didactic substance abuse training
requirements.
STEP 2. Apply for and receive Supervision Approval prior to obtaining supervised
experience. Referred to as Initial Registration of Supervision.
STEP 3. Complete the supervised experience.
STEP 4. Apply for CSAC by Examination.
STEP 5. Take and pass the examination offered through NAADAC.
STEP 6. Receive CSAC credential.
STEP 1: EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
To achieve the credential of a CSAC, you must have:
A Bachelor’s degree; and,
240 clock hours of didactic training in substance abuse education from one of the
following programs:
A regionally accredited college or university; or
Seminars or workshops from one of the approved providers and in the core
content areas listed in 18VAC115-30-50.
120 of the required 240 hours must be completed prior to registration of
supervision.
DIDACTIC TRAINING
The 240 hours of didactic training in substance abuse must include a minimum of 16 clock
hours in EACH of the 13 areas listed below:
1. Dynamics of human behavior;
2. Signs and symptoms of substance abuse;
3. Counseling theories and techniques;
4. Continuum of care and case management skills;
4|Page5. Recovery process and relapse prevention models;
6. Professional orientation and ethics;
7. Pharmacology of abused substances;
8. Trauma and crisis intervention;
9. Co-occurring disorders;
10. Cultural competency;
11. Substance abuse counseling approaches and treatment planning;
12. Group counseling; and
13. Prevention, screening, and assessment of substance use and abuse.
Didactic Training in substance abuse education must be completed with one of the following
programs:
a. An regionally accredited university or college; or
b. Seminars and workshops offered or approved by one of the following:
Federal, state, or local governmental agencies; public school systems; or licensed
health facilities. (This would include Community Service Boards)
The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and its state affiliates.
The American Association of State Counseling Boards.
The American Counseling Association and its state and local affiliates.
The American Psychological Association and its state affiliates.
The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.
NAADAC and its state and local affiliates.
National Association of Social Workers.
National Board for Certified Counselors.
A national behavioral health organization or certification body recognized by the
board.
Individuals or organizations that have been approved as continuing competency
sponsors by the American Association of State Counseling Boards or a counseling
board in another state.
PLEASE NOTE: Official school transcript(s) or certificates must be submitted to verify
completion of a minimum of 240 hours of didactic training in substance abuse counseling
education. Each certificate must show your name, course name, number of clock hours, date of
training and the approved providers/programs name. Training not approved or affiliated with one
of the approved providers will not be considered.
What is the definition of clinical supervision? The ongoing process performed by a clinical
supervisor who monitors the performance of the person supervised and provides regular,
documented face-to-face consultation, guidance and education with respect to the clinical skills
and competencies of the person supervised.
What does didactic mean? Teaching-learning methods which impart facts and information,
usually in the form of one-way communication (includes directed readings and lectures).
5|PageEXPERIENCE PERFORMING SUBSTANCE ABUSE TASKS WITH CLIENTS
The required 160 hours of experience must include a minimum of 8 clock hours of experience
under supervision with a qualified supervisor performing the following tasks with substance
abuse clients:
Screening clients to determine eligibility and appropriateness for admissions to a
particular program;
Intake of clients by performing the administrative and initial assessment tasks
necessary for admission to a program;
Orientation of new clients to program’s rules, goals, procedures, services, costs,
and the rights of the client;
Assessment of client’s strengths, weaknesses, problems, and needs for
the development of a treatment plan;
Treatment planning with the client to identify and rank problems to be addressed,
establish goals, and agree on treatment processes;
Counseling the client utilizing specialized skills in both individual and group
approaches to achieve treatment goals and objectives;
Case management activities that bring services, agencies, people, and resources
together in a planned framework of action to achieve established goals;
Crisis intervention responses to a client’s needs during acute mental, emotional,
or physical distress;
Education of clients by providing information about drug abuse and available
services and resources;
Referral of clients in order to meet identified needs unable to be met by the
counselor and assisting the client in effectively utilizing those resources.
Reporting and charting information about the client’s assessment, treatment plan,
progress, discharge summaries, and other client-related data; and
Consultation with other professionals to assure comprehensive quality care for
the client.
PLEASE NOTE: Groups and classes attended by the applicant as a part of a therapy or
treatment program will NOT be accepted as any part of the educational experience.
STEP 2: APPLY FOR AND GAIN RESIDENCY APPROVAL (INITIAL
REGISTRATION OF SUPERVISION)
ALERT: You must apply for and gain board-approval of your supervised experience prior to
counting hours toward certification.
Supervisor Requirements
To provide supervision to a CSAC applicant, the clinical supervisor must hold an active,
unrestricted license or certification and must meet one of the following 3 categories:
6|Page1. Be a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner (LSATP); or
2. Be a licensed professional counselor (LPC), licensed clinical psychologist (LCP),
licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), licensed marriage & family therapist
(LMFT), medical doctor, (MD) or registered nurse (RN) with either:
A Board recognized national certification in substance abuse
counseling, such as the MAC, AADC or NCACII ; or,
A Virginia CSAC; or,
A minimum of one year of experience in substance abuse counseling and
at least 100 hours of didactic training covering:
o Dynamics of human behavior;
o Signs and symptoms of substance abuse;
o Counseling theories and techniques;
o Continuum of care and case management skills;
o Recovery process and relapse prevention methods;
o Professional orientation and ethics;
o Pharmacology of abused substances;
o Trauma and crisis intervention;
o Co-occurring disorders;
o Cultural competency;
o Substance abuse counseling approaches and treatment
planning;
o Group counseling; and
o Prevention, screening and assessment of substance use and abuse.
3. Be a Virginia CSAC who has:
2 years’ experience as a Virginia CSAC.
PLEASE NOTE: After February 19, 2021, supervisors must obtain professional training in
supervision consisting of three credit hours or four quarter house in graduate-level coursework in
supervision or at least 20 hours of continuing education in supervision offered by a provider
approved under 18VAC115-30-50.
Supervisor Responsibilities
The supervisor of a supervisee assumes full responsibility for the clinical activities of that supervisee
specified within the supervisory contract for the duration of the residency. Additionally, on the
verification of supervision form, the supervisor must report the total hours of supervised experience
and must evaluate the supervisee’s competency. Supervision by any individual whose relationship to
the resident compromises the objectivity of the supervisor is prohibited. If supervision terminates,
the supervisor or the supervisee should complete the Termination of Supervision form (available on
the Board website) for their records.
Gaining Board Approval for Supervised Experience or “Registering Supervision”
Once you have identified a supervisor and a worksite, submit the Registration of Supervision
application, along with the fee (in the form of a check or money order, payable to the Treasurer of
Virginia), to the Board for approval. Specifically, submit the following:
Initial Registration of Supervision application
7|Page Please NOTE, this application contains an ethics portion.
o If you answered “yes” to any of the ethics questions, you must submit a
statement regarding the circumstances and any court documents,
employment records, etc. Please refer to Guidance Document 115-2.
o If you answered “yes” for a criminal conviction, we must have court
documentation. If the conviction is not available with the courts, you may
provide a criminal history check from the Virginia State Police. Please refer
to Guidance Document 115-2.
$65 Fee payable by check or money order to the “Treasure of Virginia”
Official Bachelor’s or post-baccalaureate transcript with conferral date
Faxes and photocopies will NOT be accepted.
Transcripts must be mailed with your application packet or received directly from
the university by secured electronic methods such as eSCRIPT-SAFE or Parchment.
Didactic Training Form: All applicants are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours
of didactic education as required by subsection B of 18VAC115-30-50 prior to the beginning
of supervised experience in order to be counted toward certification.
In addition to your didactic training form, you must provide a copy of your official
transcript or certificates for review.
Out-of-state license verification (only applicable, if you hold or have held a license,
certification or registration as a mental health or health professional in another state)
Supervisory Contract agreement (An example of a Supervisory Contract can be found on
our website)
Name change documentation (if applicable)
Verification of your supervisor’s qualifications
We strongly encourage you to verify that your packet is complete and includes all required forms.
A completed application packet provides the best opportunity to avoid delays in approving your
information. You should make every effort to mail this information in one complete packet to our
board office for consideration.
NOTE: Original signatures are required on all forms and applications. Copies and digital signatures
will not be accepted.
AFTER YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED:
When your packet is received, it is date stamped and your check is processed.
An administrative review is completed on your file to ensure it is complete.
Within 7-10 business days, you are notified of any deficiencies found in your application.
Upon receipt of corrections and/or additional required documentation your file then receives
another administrative review. This process continues until it appears that your file is
complete.
Once your file is complete, it may take up to 30 days for your application to be reviewed.
If you are approved as a supervisee for CSAC certification, you and your supervisor will be
emailed an approval letter.
NOTE: Incomplete applications will be kept active for one year from the date of payment. If your
application is not completed in the one year timeframe, you will be required to re-apply by submitting
8|Pagea new application.
If your application is complete but does not appear to meet the minimum requirements, you will be
notified by email. If your application does not meet the minimum requirements, you will be sent an
email and will be given the opportunity to request an Informal Conference with the Board if you feel
that you meet the minimum requirements as outlined in the regulations. Requesting an Informal
Conferences is a lengthy process and can take from several months to a year to schedule. Please
review Guidance Document 115-3: Credential Appeals FAQ's for more information on the Informal
Conference process.
IMPORTANT SUPERVISION NOTICES! Once you are approved as a supervisee, your supervisor
is responsible for your substance abuse counseling activities at the location indicated on your
supervisory contract.
During the supervised experience, supervisees must use their names and the title “supervisee” in all
written communications. Clients must be informed in writing of the supervisee’s status and the
supervisor’s name, professional address, and phone number.
Adding or Changing Registration of Supervision
A new application, documentation, supervisory contract and $30.00 fee must be submitted for
approval for any change in supervision (i.e. supervisor add/change). Changing or adding a worksite
does not require an application or fee if your supervisor was previously approved. However, you
must have a current supervisory contract in place that identifies that you are working at each
worksite where you are providing substance abuse counseling services.
Please note that a change to previously approved supervision (currently active) does not require
an additional education review. However, the requested change still requires a formal
administrative review and processing that can take 15 days.
Termination of Supervision
If supervision terminates, you should submit a Termination of Supervision form (which can be
found on the Board website) to the Board. Your supervisor should also complete the CSAC
Verification of Supervision form at the end of your experience. The supervisee must keep this form
in their records until they are ready to apply for certification. This CSAC Verification of
Supervision form is a necessary piece of your application and serves as documentation of the
completed supervision and supervised experience hours.
STEP 3: COMPLETE THE SUPERVISED RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
Prior to submitting the CSAC by examination application, you must have completed the
following:
2,000 hours of supervised experience in the practice of clinical substance abuse
counseling services to include:
9|Page One to four hours per 40 hours of work experience under supervision
between the supervisor and the supervisee for a total of 100 hours.
o Group supervision hours are equivalent to individual supervision hours,
but are limited to 50 of the required 100 hours.
The supervised experience must be completed in no less than 12 months and
no more than 60 months.
o Supervisees who began a supervised experience before February 19,
2020 must complete the supervised experience by February 19, 2025.
160 hours of experience performing the following tasks with substance abuse
clients. Each of the following tasks must be performed for a least eight hours
under supervision as verified by the supervisor.
o Screening clients to determine eligibility and appropriateness for
admission to a particular program;
o Intake of clients by performing the administrative and initial assessment
tasks necessary for admission to a program;
o Orientation of new clients to program's rules, goals, procedures,
services, costs and the rights of the client;
o Assessment of client's strengths, weaknesses, problems, and needs for
the development of a treatment plan;
o Treatment planning with the client to identify and rank problems to be
addressed, establish goals, and agree on treatment processes;
o Counseling the client utilizing specialized skills in both individual and
group approaches to achieve treatment goals and objectives;
o Case management activities which bring services, agencies, people and
resources together in a planned framework of action to achieve
established goals;
o Crisis intervention responses to clients' needs during acute mental,
emotional or physical distress;
o Education of clients by providing information about drug abuse and
available services and resources;
o Referral of clients in order to meet identified needs unable to be met by
the counselor and assisting the client in effectively utilizing those
resources;
o Reporting and charting information about the client's treatment,
progress, and other client related data; and
o Consultation with other professionals to assure comprehensive quality
care for the client.
What is substance abuse counseling? Applying a counseling process, treatment strategies and
rehabilitative services to help an individual to understand his substance use, abuse or
dependency; and change his drug-taking behavior so that it does not interfere with effective
10 | P a g ephysical, psychological, social or vocational functioning.
STEP 4: SUMBIT APPLICATION FOR LICENSURE BY EXAMINATION
Once supervised experience has been completed and you have met the remaining 240 clock hours
of didactic substance abuse education, you will need to submit all required application materials and
documentation with a check or money order, made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia, in the
amount of $115 for the application processing and initial certification fee. Once this application is
approved, you may sit for the examination and obtain certification. Specifically, at this stage,
submit the following:
Application for certified substance abuse counselor (CSAC) by examination which must
have an original signature.
Please NOTE, this application contains an ethics portion.
o If you answered “yes” to any of the ethics questions, you must submit a
statement regarding the circumstances and any court documents,
employment records, etc. Please refer to Guidance Document 115-2.
o If you answered “yes” for a criminal conviction, we must have court
documentation. If the conviction is not available with the courts, you may
provide a criminal history check from the Virginia State Police. Please refer
to Guidance Document 115-2.
$115.00 fee paid by check or money order, made payable to the “Treasurer of Virginia”.
Verification of Supervision form to be submitted by each of your supervisors to attest to
you completing 100 hours of supervision, 2,000 hours of experience in the practice of
clinical substance abuse and 160 hours of experimental tasks.
Didactic Training for verifying the completion of 240 hours of substance abuse
counseling education training.
Official transcripts or certificates must be submitted to verify completion of a
minimum of 240 hours of didactic training in substance abuse counseling by a
provider listed in the regulations.
Official Bachelor’s or post-baccalaureate transcript with conferral date (if not previously
approved to begin your supervised experience)
Faxes and photocopies will NOT be accepted.
Transcripts must be mailed with your application packet or received directly from
the university by secured electronic methods such as eSCRIPT-SAFE or
Parchment.
A duplicate transcript is not required if you were previously approved for
registration of supervision in Virginia.
Out-of-State Licensure/Certification Verification, if applicable.
Out-of-State Supervisor Licensure/Certification Verification, if applicable.
Unless your supervisor was pre-approved, a LPC, LCP, LCSW, LMFT, MD and RN
supervisor must provide evidence that they possess either a board-recognized national
certification in substance abuse counseling obtained by standards substantially equivalent,
hold a VA CSAC certification, or have a minimum of one-year experience in substance
11 | P a g eabuse counseling and at least 100 hours of didactic training.
You must provide a current report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Practitioner Data Bank. An online self-query can be processed at
https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/ext/selfquery/SQHome.jsp.
What information will be required if I have a criminal conviction? The Board requires that you
submit a certified copy of all conviction orders (obtained from the courthouse of record); evidence
that all court ordered requirements were met (i.e., letter from the probation officer if on supervised
probation, paid fines and restitution, etc.); a letter from the applicant explaining the factual
circumstances leading to the criminal offense(s); and letters from employers concerning work
performance (specifically from Counseling-related employers, if possible).
STEP 5. TAKE AND PASS THE EXAMINATION
Once staff has approved your application for CSAC examination, you will receive an email from
the Board advising you that you have been approved to take the NCAC-I exam towards CSAC
certification in Virginia. The examination is administered through the National Certification
Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP) with the Association for Addiction
Professionals (NAADAC). The examination is given on demand and testing sites are located in all
major cities across the United States. The cost for the examination is $150.00 per test.
If an applicant fails to achieve a passing score within two years of board approval to sit for the
examination, the applicant must reapply according to the regulations in effect at that time.
The Board will receive your test scores within approximately 2-4 weeks after your testing date.
Should you fail the examination, you may take the next examination again following a 90-day
waiting period.
SPECIAL EXAMINATION ACCOMODATIONS
NCC AP allows accommodations for any special needs you may have for taking your certification
examination. You will need to visit their website at nccap@naadac.org for more information
regarding the requirements for accommodation approval.
STEP 6: RECIEVE CSAC CREDENTIAL
Once you are approved as a CSAC, you will be mailed a permanent hard copy certification and a
wall certificate within 7 to 10 days. You will be required to renew your certificate on or before June
30th of each year and complete 10 hours of continuing education for each annual license renewal.
Attestation of completion of continuing education is not required for the first renewal following
initial certification in Virginia.
PROCESS FOR OBTAINING CSAC BY ENDORSEMENT
12 | P a g eVirginia does not have reciprocity with any state. The endorsement application process is for those
who hold a substance abuse certification or license which is substantially equivalent in another
jurisdiction, or hold a board-approved national certification.
PREREQUISITES FOR CSAC BY ENDORSEMENT:
To apply for a CSAC by endorsement, you must have one of the following:
1. License or certification as a substance abuse counselor in another jurisdiction in good
standing obtained by standards substantially equivalent to what’s required to obtain a
Virginia CSAC by examination; or,
2. Current national certification in good standing from one of the following:
a. The National Certified Addiction Counselor Level II (NCAC II) accreditation from
the (NCC AP)/NAADAC;
b. The Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) accreditation from the (NCC
AP)/NAADAC; or,
c. The Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC) accreditation from the
International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC).
d. The Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) accreditation from the National Board of
Certified Counselors, (NBCC).
APPLYING FOR CSAC BY ENDORSEMENT:
If you have met the prerequisites for CSAC by endorsement, then you can apply for your Virginia
CSAC by submitting the complete CSAC application by endorsement packet to the Board of
Counseling. Once approved, you will receive your Virginia CSAC certification.
Application for CSAC by Endorsement
Please NOTE, this application contains an ethics portion.
o If you answered “yes” to any of the ethics questions, you must submit a
statement regarding the circumstances and any court documents,
employment records, etc. Please refer to Guidance Document 115-2.
o If you answered “yes” for a criminal conviction, we must have court
documentation. If the conviction is not available with the courts, you may
provide a criminal history check from the Virginia State Police. Please refer
to Guidance Document 115-2.
$115 Fee payable by check or money order to the “Treasure of Virginia”
Out-of-state license verification
Verification of a passing score on an examination in the jurisdiction in which licensure or
certification was obtained or on the NCACI or higher examination administered by
NAADAC. Your exam scores must be sent directly to the Board from the examination
provider. If you took a state constructed exam, your scores will need to be provided directly
from the licensing state.
You must provide a current report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Practitioner Data Bank. An online self-query can be processed at
https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/ext/selfquery/SQHome.jsp.
Verification of Education/Experience by submitting one of the following:
13 | P a g e Provide verification of an active, unrestricted licensure or certification as a
substance abuse counselor in another jurisdiction obtained by standards
substantially equivalent to the education and experience requirements set forth in
18VAC115-30-50 and 18VAC115-30-60 as verified directly from the out-of-state
licensing agency; or,
Provide a copy of the regulations in effect at the time of initial licensure or
certification that verifies that your license or certification was obtained by
standards substantially equivalent to the education and experience requirements set
forth in 18VAC115-30-50 and 18VAC115-30-60; or,
Provide verification, by submitting a copy of the certification, from one of the
following:
o The National Certified Addiction Counselor Level II (NCAC II)
accreditation from the National Certification Commission for Addiction
Professionals (NCC AP)/NAADAC, the Association of Addiction
Professionals; or
o The Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) accreditation from the NCC
AP/NAADAC, the Association of Addition Professionals; or
o The Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC) accreditation from the
International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC); or
o The Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) accreditation from the National
Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).
What information will be required if I have a criminal conviction? The Board requires that you
submit a certified copy of all conviction orders (obtained from the courthouse of record); evidence
that all court ordered requirements were met (i.e., letter from the probation officer if on supervised
probation, paid fines and restitution, etc.); a letter from the applicant explaining the factual
circumstances leading to the criminal offense(s); and letters from employers concerning work
performance (specifically from Counseling-related employers, if possible).
Receive CSAC Certification
Once you are approved as a CSAC, you will be mailed a permanent hard copy certification and a
wall certificate within 7 to 10 days. You will be required to renew your certificate on or before June
30th of each year and complete 10 hours of continuing education for each annual license renewal.
Attestation of completion of continuing education is not required for the first renewal following
initial certification in Virginia.
GROUNDS TO DENY AN APPLICATION:
Grounds to deny a license may be found in Regulation 18VAC115-20-140 of the board’s
Regulations Governing the Practice of Professional Counseling. If grounds exist to deny an
application for licensure, your application will not be approved by board staff, and you will be so
notified and offered an opportunity to meet with a Special Conference Committee of the board to
determine if the license should be denied, issued, or issued conditionally.
14 | P a g eIMPORTANT NOTES:
THE APPLICATION/REGISTRATION PROCESS IS NOT A SHORT PROCESS. THE
LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES VARIES FOR EVERY APPLICANT. THE MORE COMPLETE
YOUR APPLICATION IS UPON RECEIPT, THE SMOOTHER THE PROCESS WILL GO. IT
IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE APPLICANT TO FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS AND
COMPLETE ALL FORMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY.
ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE, NON-TRANSFERABLE AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE.
Pending applications/registrations and fees are valid for one (1) year from the date of receipt. If
your application/registration is not approved within one (1) year, a new application/registration
and fee will be required.
15 | P a g ePROCESS TO BECOME A VIRGINIA CERTIFIED SUBSTANCE
ABUSE COUNSELOR ASSISTANT (CSAC-A)
The information contained in this handbook represents the amended regulations
changes effective 2/19/2020.
You must hold the Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Assistant (CSAC-A) credential in order
to represent yourself as such in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The only avenue to secure this
credential is to apply by examination.
According to the Code of Virginia, a “certified substance abuse counselor assistant” means a
person certified by the Virginia Board of Counseling to practice in accordance with the
provisions of the Code of Virginia §54.1-3507.2. This section of the Code defines the scope of
practice for a CSAC-A and states that a CSAC-A shall be:
Qualified to perform, under appropriate supervision or direction, the substance abuse
treatment functions of:
orientation;
implementation of substance abuse treatment plans;
case management;
substance abuse or dependence crisis intervention;
record keeping; and,
consultation with other professionals.
Supervised or directed either by:
A Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP),
Any other mental health professional licensed by the Department of Health
Professions,
A CSAC, or,
If the CSAC-A is practicing in an exempt setting, he/she shall be supervised by:
o another person with substantially equivalent education, training, and
experience, or,
o the CSAC-A shall be in compliance with the supervision requirements of a
licensed facility.
HOW TO BECOME A CSAC-A IN VIRGINIA
There are several forms that you will need to complete and submit for consideration that are
available on the Virginia Board of Counseling’s website (www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling). The
information provided in this handbook can be a valuable tool to use throughout the process.
16 | P a g eOBTAINING VIRGINIA CSAC-A BY EXAMINATION
ANY PERSON PURSUING A CSAC-A BY EXAMINATION WILL NEED TO COMPLETE
THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
STEP 1. Complete the education requirements.
STEP 2. Take and pass the examination.
STEP 3. Receive CSAC-A credential.
STEP 1: Education Requirements
To obtain the CSAC-A credential you must have:
1. A high school diploma or general educational development (GED) certificate, or a post-
secondary degree; and,
2. 120 clock hours of didactic training in substance abuse education from one of the
following programs:
i. a regionally accredited college or university; or
ii. seminars and workshops that meet the requirement in 18VAC115-30-62.
3. 180 hours of experience performing substance abuse tasks with clients under
supervision.
DIDACTIC TRAINING
The 120 hours of didactic training in substance abuse counseling must include a minimum of 8
clock hours in each of the following 13 areas:
1. Dynamics of human behavior;
2. Signs and symptoms of substance abuse;
3. Counseling theories and techniques;
4. Continuum of care and case management skills;
5. Recovery process and relapse prevention models;
6. Professional orientation and ethics;
7. Cultural competency;
8. Trauma and crisis intervention;
9. Pharmacology of abused substances
10. Co-occurring disorders;
11. Substance abuse counseling approaches and treatment planning;
12. Group counseling; and
13. Prevention, screening, and assessment of substance use and abuse.
Didactic Training in substance abuse education must be completed with one of the following
programs:
a) An regionally accredited university or college; or
b) Seminars and workshops offered or approved by one of the following:
17 | P a g e Federal, state, or local governmental agencies; public school systems; or licensed
health facilities. (This would include Community Service Boards)
The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and its state affiliates.
The American Association of State Counseling Boards.
The American Counseling Association and its state and local affiliates.
The American Psychological Association and its state affiliates.
The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.
NAADAC and its state and local affiliates.
National Association of Social Workers.
National Board for Certified Counselors.
A national behavioral health organization or certification body recognized by the board.
Individuals or organizations that have been approved as continuing competency sponsors
by the American Association of State Counseling Boards or a counseling board in
another state.
PLEASE NOTE: Official school transcript(s) or certificates must be submitted to verify
completion of a minimum of 120 hours of didactic training in substance abuse counseling. Each
certificate must show your name, course name, number of clock hours, date of training and the
approved providers/programs name. Training not approved or affiliated with one of the approved
providers will not be considered.
What does didactic mean? Teaching-learning methods which impart facts and information,
usually in the form of one-way communication (includes directed readings and lectures).
EXPERIENCE PERFORMING SUBSTANCE ABUSE TASKS WITH CLIENTS
The required 180 hours of experience must include a minimum of 8 clock hours of experience
under supervision with a qualified supervisor performing the following tasks with substance
abuse clients:
1. Screening clients and gathering information used in making the determination for the
need for additional professional assistance;
2. Intake of clients by performing the administrative tasks necessary for admission to a
program;
3. Orientation of new clients to program’s rules, goals, procedures, services, costs and the
rights of the client;
4. Assisting the client in identifying and ranking problems to be addressed, establish goals,
and agree on treatment processes;
5. Implementation of a substance abuse treatment plan as directed by the supervisor;
6. Implementation of case management activities that bring services, agencies, people,
and resources together in a planned framework of action to achieve established goals;
7. Assistance in identifying appropriate crisis intervention responses to client’s needs during
acute mental, emotional, or physical distress;
8. Education of clients by providing information about drug abuse and available services
18 | P a g eand resources;
9. Facilitating the client’s utilization of available support systems and community resources
to meet needs identified in clinical valuation or treatment planning;
10. Reporting and charting information about client’s treatment, progress, and other client-
related data; and,
11. Consultation with other professionals to assure comprehensive quality of care for the
client.
Groups and classes attended as a part of a therapy or treatment program will not be accepted as
any part of the educational experience.
Supervisor Requirements
The Code of Virginia states that in order to provide supervision to a CSAC-A applicant, the
supervisor must be a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner (LSATP), or any other
mental health professional licensed by the Department (such as a LPC, LMFT, LCP or LCSW),
or by a certified substance abuse counselor (CSAC).
STEP 2: APPLY FOR CSAC-A BY EXAMINATION
Once you have meet the 120 hours of clock hours of didactic substance abuse training and
completed the 180 hours of experience under supervision, submit all required application materials
and documentation with your check or money order, payable to the Treasurer of Virginia, in the
amount of $115 for the application fee. Once this application is approved, you may sit for the
examination and obtain certification. Specifically, at this stage, submit the following:
Application form by examination which must be signed
Please NOTE, this application contains an ethics portion.
o If you answered “yes” to any of the ethics questions, you must submit a
statement regarding the circumstances and any court documents,
employment records, etc. Please refer to Guidance Document 115-2.
o If you answered “yes” for a criminal conviction, we must have court
documentation. If the conviction is not available with the courts, you may
provide a criminal history check from the Virginia State Police. Please refer
to Guidance Document 115-2.
$115 fee payable by check or money order to the “Treasure of Virginia”
Didactic training required for certification form documenting the completion of 120
hours of substance abuse counseling education training
Official transcripts or certificates must be submitted to verify completion of a
minimum of 120 hours of didactic training in substance abuse counseling by an
approved provider listed in the regulations.
Verification of experience form signed by your supervisor attesting to completion of 180
hours of experience in a practicum, internship or under supervision performing specific
tasks with substance abuse clients while under supervision.
Official high school transcript, general education development (GED) certificate, or a post-
secondary degree transcript.
19 | P a g e Faxes and photocopies will NOT be accepted.
Name change documentation (if applicable)
Out-of-state license verification (only applicable, if you hold or have held a license,
certification or registration as a mental health or health professional in another state)
You must provide a current report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Practitioner Data Bank. An online self-query can be processed at
https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/ext/selfquery/SQHome.jsp.
What information will be required if I have a criminal conviction? The Board requires that you
submit a certified copy of all conviction orders (obtained from the courthouse of record); evidence
that all court ordered requirements were met (i.e., letter from the probation officer if on supervised
probation, paid fines and restitution, etc.); a letter from the applicant explaining the factual
circumstances leading to the criminal offense(s); and letters from employers concerning work
performance (specifically from Counseling-related employers, if possible).
Once your education, didactic training, and experience is reviewed and approved, the exam will
be emailed to you. The Board requires that you take and pass the Virginia State Constructed
CSAC-A exam. The CSAC-A exam is an open book test. You are encouraged to reference the
Regulations Governing the Certification of Substance Abuse Counselors and Substance Abuse
Counseling Assistants when answering the questions. Once you complete the exam, you should
mail, fax or email your examination to the Board office for processing.
You are able to take the CSAC-A examination multiple times; however if the applicant fails to
achieve a passing score within two years of board approval to sit for the examination, the
applicant must reapply according to the regulations in effect at that time. Once you pass the
exam, you will receive your CSAC-A certification.
STEP 3: RECIEVE CSAC-A CREDENTIAL
Once your examination is graded and reviewed by the Board, you will be sent an email regarding
certification. Certifications and wall certificates are mailed 7 to 10 days after your CSAC-A
application is approved.
GROUNDS TO DENY AN APPLICATION:
Grounds to deny a license may be found in Regulation 18VAC115-20-140 of the board’s
Regulations Governing the Practice of Professional Counseling. If grounds exist to deny an
application for licensure, your application will not be approved by board staff, and you will be so
notified and offered an opportunity to meet with a Special Conference Committee of the board to
determine if the license should be denied, issued, or issued conditionally.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
THE APPLICATION/REGISTRATION PROCESS IS NOT A SHORT PROCESS. THE
LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES VARIES FOR EVERY APPLICANT. THE MORE COMPLETE
20 | P a g eYOUR APPLICATION IS UPON RECEIPT, THE SMOOTHER THE PROCESS WILL GO. IT
IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE APPLICANT TO FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS AND
COMPLETE ALL FORMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY.
ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE, NON-TRANSFERABLE AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE.
Pending applications/registrations and fees are valid for one (1) year from the date of receipt. If
your application/registration is not approved within one (1) year, a new application/registration
and fee will be required.
21 | P a g eYou can also read
